With lockout ending, what are Seahawks top priorities?

With the lockout officially over and the NFL ready to begin a breakneck pace of trades and free-agent signings this week, let’s take a look at the most pressing needs of the Seattle Seahawks as free agency and training camp approaches.

Hasselbeck’s status with the team remains the Seahawks’ primary storyline as we approach the end of the lockout. The 35-year-old quarterback has said since the season ended that he wants to be back in Seattle next season, and coach Pete Carroll said the same toward the end of last season, too. But questions remain over whether the Seahawks will be willing to offer Hasselbeck as much as the veteran could command on the free-agent market. His name has come up often in connection with Tennessee, and there are several teams in need of an experienced quarterback. Some reports have suggested the Seahawks made Hasselbeck an offer before the lockout began, but that the talks between the two sides never came close to materializing.

If Seattle doesn’t end up bringing Hasselbeck back — something ESPN’s John Clayton thinks is becoming less and less likely — their interest would likely shift to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb. But that’s no sure thing, either — Kolb has one year remaining on his contract, has several potential suitors, and even if the Seahawks are able to acquire him in a trade, they’d be hard-pressed to afford him as a free-agent at the end of the 2011-12 season.

The Seahawks have also been linked to free-agent quarterback Matt Leinart, who played for Carroll at USC, as well as free-agent Tarvaris Jackson — Clayton reported as much on 710 AM last week — who spent the first five seasons of his career in Minnesota playing for newly-hired Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

2. Make a serious run at signing Robert Gallery

Carroll and general manager John Schneider in April drafted what they hope will be two big pieces of their offensive line — James Carpenter, who is expected to start at right tackle, and John Moffitt, who the Seahawks have said will compete for the starting right guard position.

With Russell Okung at left tackle and assuming Max Unger starts at center, that leaves left guard up for grabs. And there has long been speculation that the Seahawks will pursue Gallery, a veteran with a nasty streak who played for Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable when he was the head man in Oakland.

Gallery will be an unrestricted free agent as soon as free agency begins, and at 31 years old, he’d immediately become the elder statesman of Seattle’s line. That kind of veteran leadership would be valuable on an offensive line that otherwise will enter the season with a combined total of 27 starts in the NFL (assuming both Carpenter and Moffitt begin the year as starters).

Brandon Mebane will be highly sought-after on the free-agent market. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

3. Keep Brandon Mebane in a Seahawks uniform

Mebane is one of 22 unrestricted free agents who ended last season in a Seahawks uniform, and the defensive tackle is probably the guy the Seahawks most desperately need to re-sign. Also, it appears as if Seattle’s third-round tender to Mebane prior to the lockout no longer applies, because as reported in this USA Today story, players will become unrestricted free agents after four accrued seasons under the new proposed CBA. Mebane obviously meets that requirement.

Outside of Hasselbeck, Mebane’s free agency will receive the most attention from the rest of the league. And because the Seahawks failed to bolster their defensive line through the draft — they did take LSU DT Pep Levingston in the seventh round — it’s especially important to re-sign Mebane, a four-year starter. Don’t forget that defensive tackle Colin Cole is reportedly recovering from ankle surgery, too, making depth at that position even more of a concern.

4. Get Red Bryant healthy

The defensive end was stellar the first seven games of last season playing the five-technique (the defensive end playing closest to the tight end, or the strong side), but a torn MCL in Week 7 knocked him out for the season and Seattle’s run defense suffered as a result.

A healthy Bryant would make the job of piecing together the D-line considerably easier. He had 18 tackles and a sack last season before the injury. If Bryant comes back from surgery strong and the Seahawks are starting both he and Mebane against the 49ers in their opener, they’re doing well.

5. Who stays, who goes in the secondary?

Safeties Jordan Babineaux and Lawyer Milloy and cornerback Kelly Jennings are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason. And the Seahawks also drafted three secondary members — cornerback Richard Sherman, cornerback Byron Maxwell and safety Mark LeGree. The addition of LeGree makes it less likely that Babineaux will return to a group of safeties that also includes 2010 draft pick Kam Chancellor. And with second-year player Walter Thurmond in the fold, where does Jennings stand at corner?

Don’t be shocked to see Babineaux, Milloy and Jennings elsewhere next season. There’s also the matter of Marcus Trufant’s less-than-impressive showing of the past couple seasons. It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks address each issue.